Submitted

Thu, Sep 21st 2017 05:20 pm

The Kenan Center, in collaboration with The Carriage House Players, will present The Buffalo Jazztet in "A Tribute to Harold Arlen" at the Taylor Theater on Saturday, Nov. 4. This is the third concert in the Kenan Center's 50th Anniversary Jazz Series featuring some top names in jazz - both locally and nationally.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Taylor Theater, a 153-seat converted carriage house on the center's campus, providing an intimate, club-like atmosphere. The concert will feature two full sets of music.

Refreshments will be available.

The Buffalo Jazztet, led by trumpeter Mark Filsinger, features Bobby Militello on alto saxophone, John Hasselback on trombone, pianist George Caldwell, bassist Jim Colemon and John Bacon on drums. This marks the second concert appearance at the Taylor Theater for Filsinger, Militello and Bacon. Filsinger played in last December's popular "Tidings of Comfort & Jazz" concerts, while Militello and Bacon performed in June's sold-out "Bobby Plays Brubeck and More."

Composer Harold Arlen (1905-86), born Hyman Arluck, was born and raised in Buffalo. He is well known for having written the music to "The Wizard of Oz," but he also composed some of the most iconic jazz standards in the American Songbook. Some of his most familiar hits include "Stormy Weather," "The Man That Got Away," "I've Got the World on a String," "One for My Baby" and "Come Rain or Come Shine."

Arlen collaborated with some of the great lyricists of all time, including Johnny Mercer, Ira Gershwin, Yip Harburg and even author Truman Capote.

The 50th Anniversary Jazz Series was conceived and co-produced by Kathleen Rooney, co-founder of The Carriage House Players, a group presenting plays as well as musical performances at the Taylor Theater in collaboration with the Kenan Center.

"The Carriage House Players have brought highly professional performances to our beautiful Taylor Theater," Kenan Center Executive Director Susan Przybyl said. "And we are delighted to be attracting patrons from throughout the region."

The final concert of the series, "Tidings of Comfort & Jazz," will feature popular holiday classics arranged and performed by the Buffalo Jazztet. This concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2.

"Some of my absolute favorite holiday albums are compilations of Christmas and seasonal tunes with musicians like Duke Ellington, Nat 'King' Cole, Frank Sinatra and, of course, Vince Guaraldi, who wrote the music for 'A Charlie Brown Christmas,' " Rooney said. "This show will be great fun for all ages."

Tickets for each show are $15 for Kenan Center members or $20 for the general public, and may be purchased online at Ticketleap, in person at the Kenan Center business office, or charged by phone. Ample free parking is available onsite.

The Taylor Theater is located on the campus of the Kenan Center at 433 Locust St., Lockport. For further information, visit www.kenancenter.org or call 716-433-2617.